November 10, 2006

Abstract: - Public backing for José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero fell this month in Spain, according to a poll by Instituto Opina released by Cadena Ser. 49.1 per cent of respondents approve of the president's performance, down 2.7 points since late September.

- Public backing for José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero fell this month in Spain, according to a poll by Instituto Opina released by Cadena Ser. 49.1 per cent of respondents approve of the president's performance, down 2.7 points since late September.

Zapatero—of the Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE)—was sworn in as president of the government in April 2004, following his party's victory in the legislative ballot. The conservative Popular Party (PP) had administered the government under José María Aznar since 1996.

Support is steady for current PP leader Mariano Rajoy. 31.4 per cent of respondents approve of the opposition leader's performance, up 0.2 points since late September.

Zapatero's government has passed several bills regarding sexual liberties, including one that legalized same-sex marriage in Spain. On Nov. 9, the legislature approved legislation that will allow people who have been diagnosed with gender-identity disorder to legally change their gender, without the need of surgery. PSOE spokesperson Carmen Montón declared, "This law was a socialist promise of this government that we have kept."

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of the performance of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero as president?

	Nov. 3	Sept. 28	Sept. 13
Approve	49.1%	51.8%	51.4%
Disapprove	43.2%	40.7%	41.9%

Do you approve or disapprove of the performance of Mariano Rajoy as opposition leader?

	Nov. 3	Sept. 28	Sept. 13
Approve	31.4%	31.2%	31.4%
Disapprove	61.4%	60.8%	62.4%

Source: Instituto Opina / Cadena Ser
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Spanish adults, conducted on Nov. 3, 2006. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.